Santa Ponsa Hotels – Casablanca Hotel Review

Casablanca Hotel ***

The Casablanca is one of the most popular of all Santa Ponsa hotels according to the main review sites and on this page you can find out why.

On Trip Advisor, out of 31 reviewers, 87% rated it excellent or very good, and an incredible 93% would recommend the hotel.  It’s the same story on Holiday Watchdog, where the average score given is 8.5 out of ten, so we had better take a look at the reasons for these high scores:

The hotel was completely renovated in 2008 and people describe it using words like “clean” and “well-run”.  It’s a quiet and relaxing place, despite its central location.  This makes it good for families, who are made to feel very welcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the options for board basis?

You can stay on either a bed and breakfast or half-board basis.

Where is it?

The hotel is about as convenient as you could want, located just behind the main sandy beach of Santa Ponsa – about 200 metres away from the sand.  It’s in an elevated position so the sea views are excellent.  The resort centre is only 500 metres away and the nearest bar just a 150 metre stagger!  However, although it’s central, the hotel is not too close to the night-life, so it’s not rowdy here.

Santa Ponsa hotels - Casablanca

Note that the hotel may not be suitable for those with walking difficulties, because there are some steps to negotiate – six up to the entrance, and about 40 to the pool – and the hotel is on a steep slope.

Like all hotels in Santa Ponsa, the Casablanca is within easy reach of Palma airport which is 31 kilometres away.

What’s the food like?

The food here is said to be plentiful and with a fair amount of variety considering this is a three-star Santa Ponsa hotel rather than a more expensive four-star.  Hot and cold dishes are served at breakfast from 8am until 9:45am.  In the evening you can expect a good choice of well-prepared food on offer between 7pm and 9pm, including fish, meat and pasta dishes.  One reviewer describes the salad displays as the best they had ever seen or tasted!

Evening meals and breakfast is served in the immaculate main buffet restaurant, with the lounge bar and pool bar serving very good snacks during the day.  There is also a weekly “gala dinner”.

One complaint was that tables in the restaurant seat four people, so if there are two of you, a table will be allocated to you at the start of your stay and you are expected to share it with another two people.  This could be interesting or an annoyance, depending on how you hit it off with the other couple!

How do the rooms compare to other Santa Ponsa hotels?

The Casablanca Hotel has 66 twin rooms and 21 single rooms in its main building of five floors, and in addition there

Santa Ponsa Hotels Casablanca Dining

are 23 apartments of one or two bedrooms in a separate building.  The hotel was refurbished in 2008.

All of the rooms have air conditioning or heating depending on the season, and are equipped with a private bathroom with shower; satellite TV; a telephone, and a safe (for a small charge).  There is no hair-dryer as standard as this is a three-star hotel, so if you want one you will need to bring one or hire one.  Most rooms have a balcony or terrace, but some of the singles don’t, so check this at the time of booking.  Also, note that although most rooms have a sea view, some don’t so if this is important to you, it might be worth requesting it when you book.  If you go for one of the apartments, these have a kitchen/lounge as well as the bedrooms.

The thing that so many reviewers keep mentioning about the Casablanca is the cleanliness of the rooms.  The management clearly take this very seriously and I wish this were true at all Santa Ponsa hotels.  No worries at all here when it comes to cleanliness.  Fresh towels every day too.

What’s outside?

There is a large pool, larger than you will find in many Santa Ponsa hotels, and plenty of sunbeds and parasols to choose from on the extensive terraces and gardens.  There is also a dedicated children’s section in the pool.

Do they have Internet access?

I can find no evidence of internet facilities at the this hotel.  Please contact Suntrap Holidays if you know different..

Are the staff friendly?

Reviewers tend to describe the staff using words like “friendly” and “polite”, and there are tales of the chef going out of his way to accommodate requests from those who have special dietary needs or preferences.

What leisure facilities are on offer?

You can enjoy live entertainment at this hotel twice a week, which is not as often as at some of the larger Santa Ponsa hotels, but you have to bear in mind that this is three star and you are getting very good value here.  Watch out for what one customer described as the “Margarita Pracatan-style sing-alongs”!!  Table tennis and video games are also on offer.

Verdict

The Casablanca is a friendly, clean, honest-to-goodness three-star Santa Ponsa hotel.  You get very full value here – it’s certainly one of the best in its class in my opinion.  If you want the few extras that a four-star might have, such as a kids’ club, you might like to look at the Punta del Mar instead – but of course you will be spending a little more on your accommodation there.

If you want to stay in a relaxing, quiet hotel just a stone’s throw from the lovely sandy beach, at a great price, the Casablanca could be just the hotel for you.  I rate it 8.5/10.

You can book at the best prices on this and other hotels in Santa Ponsa here: Santa Ponsa Hotels